GYERO

[anthonys735]

-I've been, rightfully so, down on Cal the last 3 years. He earned it and I'm still frustrated watching this team playing KNOWING what could have been with 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 22. Sure, maybe you didn't always have the players to have an exciting offense but most of the times he did. Looks at last year, Reeves was buried on the bench until late Jan. Manny Quick the same. You telling me Quick, Johnson, Herro and PJ wouldn't have worked 4 out? Please. If he didn't quite have the players, that's on him.

Anyway, my hope has always been that he'd eventually see the light. While we're still limited by the current big status, and he reverted against KU, it's pretty f*cking hard to deny what works. Current offensive efficiency is insanity and I have faith he'll stick with the current pace. Biggest indicator was that 8-4 minute mark when we kept the pedal down rather than pound the ball while leaking. Keep it up, fat wop. I'm loving this group.

-Miami is a damn good team and they got walloped. That big lug inside was determined to injure someone. Glad he fouled out. that's the type of win we've been missing the last few years. It'll just continue to get better and better as the year goes on.

-Edwards light is flickering.

-Mitchell is such a good distributor. It's unreal.

-Not much else to say about Reed other than he's a legit ninja.

-Dilly, the way he moves defies logic. Last stylebender.

-Reeves making fools pay for pressing out on him.

-Absolutely believe Stoops wanted the TAMU job and the deal was mostly(or all) squashed on their side. That just makes sense after the dust settled. Whether that's because certain assistants weren't ready to commit, because he would be required to retain certain tamu staff members, or because of fan revolt. In the end I think it worked out best for Stoops and UK though. Walking into a coaching job without the fan base being fired up is a lonely place to be.

-The BBN deserved the last 5 days. It's been a damn while since we had stuff to legitimately be pumped about.

 

[creeksman]

I'm pretty sure Ky is how I learned it, and KY came along later.

What a fun game. Reed's +35 definitely passes the eye test. I don't think Wagner's -12 does though. He wasn't playing poorly. I think he just happened to be in the game when Miami got hot for a few minutes late in the 1st half. Were they ever in the game at the same time? If not, that's another reason Wagner's +/- is low. Reed just makes the whole thing go.

Edwards finding his role is huge for this team, IMO. I like the kid's attitude.

We have some excellent passers. Reed's open/full court passing is Kevin Love-ish. Tre Mitchell is the best passing big we've had since? Everyone will say Hayes and Daniels, and while they had excellent chemistry with each other down low, I don't remember them dropping dimes from the wing to cutters, hitting open shooters across the court, etc.

When the game gets free flowing and open, Dillingham is on another level. Out there having fun like it's the NBA All-Star game, and executing in the process. Ambidextrous with the baseball passes.

We've smoked some good teams in the last few years, but this time it feels different.

John Welch for Pres.

 

[Kennedy_UK]

Reed Sheppard love continues. 😍

 

[Century Cat]

It's worth watching the guys make the call.

View embedded media

Leach called Brown's kickoff return a TD when Brown was at his own 30. LMAO.

 

[Catman100]

Yes it has been a wonderful 5 days for the BBN.

Uncharted territory with the excitement the basketball team is conjuring up. Well at least for a while.

Had no clue Reed would be the catalyst that he is already. Totally changes the flow of the game, and I don't have a problem with him coming off the bench.

Not to be Danny Downer, but won't be all in until a/all 7 footers come back and we see what things look like then.

We scored 12 points in the final 8:30 of the second half last night. That has Calipari written all over it. Not sure why he insists on holding the reigns back on our horses, but it has cost us games in the past, and may have cost us Kansas this year already. Always a SMH.

With that said, I pity UNC Wilmington and LFG!!!!

 

[UK-chulo]

Reed isn’t going to be here next year at this pace.

I don’t care what anyone says, he is a top 15 pick, at worst, and that’s the best a 6’2 white boy from Ky can hope for.

I honestly don’t think I’ve seen a better guard this year and he is only going to get better.

His NIL will be insane.

Brings up an interesting fork in the road for Reed.
What’s the best choice?
Stay at UK, bag a possible POY, and flirt with immortality bringing home a championship as a KY kid? Or leave as a first round draft pick and begin what is mostly likely a middling pro career. No idea what his potential NIL value would be so not even trying to compare the financial component of this decision.

The fact he’s a KY kid is the only reason this is a thing.

 

[cut_itloosedoubledeuce]

Yea but the last 2 min we didn’t even try, nor should we have, when up 20+. The key, as Anth said, was that 8-4 min stretch where we kept pushing.

 

[legalbeagle123]

Always great for a team like this to have a big confidence-boosting win against a good team. Not saying this group necessarily needed it, but now they know they can be elite. Huge going forward.

 

[pretzel__logic]

- I have been a relentless Cal hater for years. Truthfully, I have found watching the team to be mostly a chore since 2018 or so. I can't say I completely trust him to stay out of the way, but right now? I'm enjoying my favorite team play my favorite sport far too much to worry about that. The pieces finally FIT. The talent is there, and the talent on the squad is 100% complementary of the other talent for the first time in...honestly, I can't remember. Fox/Monk?

- Dear ACC: y'all mid. Love, Kentucky.

- There's a lot of things that make a gym in my basement awesome, but getting to do two of my favorite things (lift while watching the Cats on an actual television and not ESPN Gamecast) for the first time in my 15+ years of working out was so glorious I teared up a little bit.

- I want every good thing in the world for Ray Davis.

- I love Reed Sheppard so much I'm starting to worry it's getting inappropriate. Given his pedigree and how beloved his dad was (is, I will love Jeff forever), he may understand better than most just why he's so special here - but hot damn, he's a real life Disney sports movie basketball god.

- The overall sense of well-being that follows the Cats kicking ass on the hardwood is unmatched. I know it's not healthy to let it affect me like this. I don't care. Why we do this.

 

[WayneDougan]

What a fun game. Reed's +35 definitely passes the eye test. I don't think Wagner's -12 does though. He wasn't playing poorly. I think he just happened to be in the game when Miami got hot for a few minutes late in the 1st half. Were they ever in the game at the same time? If not, that's another reason Wagner's +/- is low. Reed just makes the whole thing go.

If Reed's +/- is legit, then Wagner's is legit too. First, he is pretty bad from outside but he still chucks it. Second, he drives to the basket and throws up off-balance shots. Both of these lead to long rebounds and fast breaks. To me, Wagner is one of the more selfish players on the team. And that's in the context of this year's team (not year's past). I am not overly concerned and think he'll come around. He'll be key in games when our outside shot isn't falling.

 

[WayneDougan]

- There's a lot of things that make a gym in my basement awesome, but getting to do two of my favorite things (lift while watching the Cats on an actual television and not ESPN Gamecast) for the first time in my 15+ years of working out was so glorious I teared up a little bit.

Love this.

 

[PTI (pti)]

Jeff looks sharp AF, imho. Fresh scalp on his glossy dome, nice 1/4-zip. Still looks pretty fit and could probably still get out and ball.

 

[B Rax]

I don't know if this team would beat 2010, 2012 or 2015 but I feel like in the current climate of college basketball, this team may be more capable of whooping ass than any of those teams. And I do think this Kentucky team would beat Fox/monk/bam. Miami just looked like they wanted to quit. They were having ZERO fun out there. Its gotta be just exhausting playing Kentucky man. Like being strapped into a wooden roller coaster. You have no control over the pace. Youre just being thrust around and shaken violently until it comes to a screeching hault & you just want to get off & head to the water park for a while & call it a day.

 

[pretzel__logic]

Miami just looked like they wanted to quit. They were having ZERO fun out there.

They were flat DUN with almost a full half left. Last time I remember that was the UCLA beatdown in the 2014-15 season.

 

[PTI (pti)]

I'm totally cool with hating Cal. This is the best recruiter in the country, who always eats first, can get any player he wants and play any style he wants, and has used the last 5-6 years to constantly talk down to and berate the fanbase for wanting to actually score and shoot the 3 point shot.

It was funny hearing him on the pregame talk about being outrebounded by Marshall, who we had just beaten by a million points. Old habits die hard. FYI, we also got outrebounded AGAIN last night. Get better, guys!


This team is just so much fun that it doesn't even matter. Like an octogenarian dementia patient running for President, it's best to just keep him hidden in the basement and let everyone else get to work. GO CATS!

 

[Wildcat Willy]

We scored 12 points in the final 8:30 of the second half last night. That has Calipari written all over it. Not sure why he insists on holding the reigns back on our horses, but it has cost us games in the past, and may have cost us Kansas this year already. Always a SMH.

Meh. In the past, yes. But last night we missed a bunch of wide open 3s and layups in the last 8:30. Many of which occurred early in the shot clock.

 

[creeksman]

Of course their +/- numbers are legit. It's simple math. It's not always indicative of how well an individual played though, because it's dependent how well the other 9 players on the court played too. Wagner wasn't hurting us last night. 5 points on three FG attempts, an assist, a rebound, no turnovers, no fouls in 10 min. He was fine. He was in when Miami got hot, and he wasn't in when Reed was balling, so his +/- is low.

The bigger picture, I think, is that even though Wagner is very good, and has a defined role on the team, we are playing way better without his role being filled, for now. Cal is absolutely going to be relying on Wagner to get tough baskets in the half court in big games, though. That is going to change how we look, along with the addition of the bigs. I think it can all work. I wouldn't trust Cal to make it work in recent years, but I'm on board. IDK if I'm gullible, if it's Welch, or if Cal's had some kind of epiphany, started peptides or blow or what, but there's new life on our bench.

 

[Kooky Kats]

if Wagner plays hero-ball driving the lane resulting with an Ashton/Wheeler heave, as Dilly - Reed - Reeves - Tre are standing alone beyond the arc, it will be easily identifiable and benchworthy.

This isn’t yesteryear’s teams with one other shooter on the floor, we have 4 on the floor. Someone is open.

 

[krazykats]

Brings up an interesting fork in the road for Reed.
What’s the best choice?
Stay at UK, bag a possible POY, and flirt with immortality bringing home a championship as a KY kid? Or leave as a first round draft pick and begin what is mostly likely a middling pro career. No idea what his potential NIL value would be so not even trying to compare the financial component of this decision.

The fact he’s a KY kid is the only reason this is a thing.

We can’t win the championship this year?

 

[B.B.d.K.]

Wagner has 23 assists & 9 turns
Sheppard has 25 assists & 9 turns

Before last night, DJ had more…nothing selfish about that kid. Great teammate & leader as well.

People using Reed’s brilliance to shit on DJ, who’s vital to this team’s potential, gonna get old quick.

 

[roguemocha]

Oh yeah and a KW swimmer won state this year and just committed to Kentucky, my buddy Shep was training him at my gym there too.

 

[Kennedy_UK]

People using Reed’s brilliance to shit on DJ, who’s vital to this team’s potential, gonna get old quick.

Rack this.

But that won't stop me from focusing my pisstivity at Cal if/when he doesn't play Shep or Dilly in clutch time.

 

[cut_itloosedoubledeuce]

Play all the guards 25-30 min and profit. No big should play the 3 this year. Have 120 min from those 3 positions to utilize.

 

[BristolCat]

I don't hate Cal, and I don't think very many other people do either. I hate losing and bullsh*t. If he's done with losing and he's done with bullsh*t about why we're losing, then we're all good. I think he's handed the offensive reigns off to Welch, a guy he trusts, and a guy who understands the game. We'll find out when he gets a bunch of bigs to add into the equation if he's really ready to let someone else drive for a bit, but the results so far speak for themselves.

 

[Geese Feeder]

Yeah, DJ is definitely not selfish. The ball sticks in his hands longer but I think that's more of a product of his skill-set and being 'the guy' for so many years on the circuit. I think Rob, Shep, and Tre being good facilitators makes it contagious, too.

His one knifing drive last night from the wing was vintage. The fact we have so many playmakers around him takes pressure off of him to not only shoot it well, but evens out all that weight of being responsible for the direction of the team...which is nice. He doesn't have to be *the *guy* every night #takesavillage

- Still fuming over that Pat Adams call on Mitchell in the 1st. Ohmier drove his forearm into Mitchell's neck. WTF is he supposed to do? Just horrible.

- Rupp was feisty last night and it always gives me goosebumps when there's a big sequence. Last night for me it was the Reed block (on the ball) and quick outlet to Reeves in transition for the lay-in just before the half. Crowd was blend of shock and joy.

- The Rupp fan cams are a nice wrinkle and pretty funny. Props to the marketing/production departments or whatever. They need to keep pumping those out during the timeouts.

 

[cricket3]

- I love Reed Sheppard so much I'm starting to worry it's getting inappropriate.

I sat in front of a lady a couple weeks ago who spent a good part of the game expressing her love for Reed and what she would do if she was 30 years younger.

She also had a shirt that said I (heart) Kentucky Freshmen.

 

[anthonys735]

John Calipari’s renaissance is appointment television.​

Kentucky looked good last night against offensive juggernaut and eighth-ranked Miami. They had 26 assists, the most they’ve ever had in a game vs. a ranked opponent in the John Calipari era. Rob Dillingham had nine of them – with no turnovers! Reed Sheppard might be my new favorite player and as much as I would love for him to stay at Kentucky all four years and become a legend, he’s probably league bound next year.

This is what John Calipari teams should look like in modern basketball. Athletes and shooters. Kentucky will always be able to get the best of both if they want, but they hadn’t made it a priority until now. We have to give credit to Calipari for adapting, whether it was on his own merits or by the acts of God that landed him with Tre Mitchell and no healthy big men to start the year. I wouldn’t be surprised if things looked wonky for a bit when the footers get back, but I think we’re passed the point of returning to the dark ages of the dribble-drive.

Kentucky is fun as hell to watch. Each of their games is appointment television going forward.

Off The Burner 11.29.23

Welcome to Off the Burner – a semi-regular stream of consciousness about college hoops. John Calipari’s renaissance is appointment television. Kentucky looked good last night against offensive juggernaut and eighth-ranked Miami. They had 26 assists, the most they’ve ever had in a game vs. a...

burnerball.com

 

[ukalumni00]

I sat in front of a lady a couple weeks ago who spent a good part of the game expressing her love for Reed and what she would do if she was 30 years younger.

She also had a shirt that said I (heart) Kentucky Freshmen.

If Reed plays his cards right he might have a bigger rockstar life at UK than Pat Riley did.

 

[AIChatGPT]

Pat Adams should be relegated after his performance last night. His calls were flat out awful or nefarious.

Teams are going to scout and figure a few things out. Dillingham has a bad tendency to throw a weird pass behind his body at the top of the key. Someone is going to start jumping that soon.

I can’t wait to see Dillingham or Wagner take over a game in crunch time just like we have seen happen to the cats by good guards.

Wagner will be fine. He is finishing better and better each game. He will have another big one when teams just try to take the three away and he kills them with layups. Have faith.

As for Reed, what makes it great is he hits the threes when UK really really needs them. His misses yesterday came in garbage time. He is probably 80% the rest of the time. Would like to know his first half 3 pt %.

 

[AIChatGPT]

Just looked it up.

Reed Sheppard is 9/12 from three in the first half.

19/30 for the season

 

[cut_itloosedoubledeuce]

WR coach, gone

 

[Kooky Kats]

Bouknight is available

 

[MaxPowerrr]

We had a WR coach?

 

[Hank Camacho]

WR coach, gone

Hopefully that keeps Brown and Key here and we get to see them live up to their potential in Kentucky uniforms.

 

[ksta]

- Wagner's +/- isn't "legit' in the sense that he only played 10 minutes and happened to be in there when Miami went like 5/6 from 3 and Mitchell missed a couple open ones. Not his fault.

- Sheppard's +/- is "legit" in that if you have eyes you can tell we are immensely better any time he's in. And he consistently is the positive outlier in the stat after every single game.

- Wagner is really good. His game has a couple blemishes, but he helps us. I've been really impressed with his activity level, especially off-ball. I think he benefits significantly from being on the court with Sheppard - his gravity opens up driving lanes and Sheppard gets him the ball in good positions. We'd benefit from pairing those two more often instead of using them interchangeably.

- Of course, everyone on the team benefits from playing with Sheppard - but the guy who needs it the least is the guy who he's been paired with for most of the season. As enamored as I am with Sheppard, Dillingham is so ridiculously talented and it's clear he's still not near to reaching his ceiling. He can get his shot whenever he wants. If we need a guy to go get a big bucket, that's who I'm picking.

- Look, Oscar deserves to be beloved, but can't overstate how helpful it has been to not have him clogging the lane. Watching Reeves score a couple times off simple reversals when he started attacking the basket before the pass arrived was kind of otherworldly, to be honest.

- Edwards turning down a couple outside looks, attacking instead, and finishing had me similarly giddy.

- Cannot get over how smart and unselfish this group is. There will undoubtedly be bumps in the road, but what a pleasure it is to watch right now.

- Last thing: Sheppard is gone. You don't come back under Cal if you're a lottery pick, which he will be. I'm not saying that because I'm concerned about it, as it's a good problem to have. There are NBA teams he could help right now. I'm trying hard not to get too superlative.

 

[august-west]

I personally think the +\- numbers are bullshit. That’s all.

 

[PTI (pti)]

Just because.

 

[MattJonesKSR]

This afternoon is proving definitively that Elon Musk is a genius who is saving free speech in America

 

[barbourfor3]

As is Jack Smith☝️☝️☝️☝️

 

[bbonds]

BLUE!!!!!1!1!1!1!!11111!!!!!!